Cutoff machine



R. c. KENYON CUTYO'FF MACHINE Jan. 13, 1953 Filed Nov. 26, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET P l INVENTOR. ROBERT C. KENYON Jan. 13, 1953 KEfiYb'N cuToFF MACHINE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed NOV. 26, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

ROBERT C. KENYON Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED OFFICE CUTOFF MACHINE Robert C. Kenyon, Ferguson, Ma, assignor to Lewin-Mathes Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri 8 Ciaims.

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in foundry machinery and, more particularly, to a cut-off machin for removing the flash, sprue, or other unwanted excrescenes from sand castings and the like.

In the casting and forging of various types of metallic parts and elements, the formed part usually has various unwanted metallic eXcresences, such as a sprue or a flash, which must be removed. In the case of small parts, it is common practice to cast or forge a plurality of such parts in a single mold and, in such case, the parts are usually integrally connected by one or more filamentary necks of metal which must be cut apart and removed in preparing the casting for further machining, processing, and ultimate use. At the present time, the so-called cleaning up of the casting is, for the most part, done by hand and is an expensive and time-consuming operation.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an automatic cut-off machine for removing the flash, sprue, and similar metallic excrescences from castings, forgings, and the like in a simple, rapid, and economical manner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cut-off machine of the type stated which will, in removing flash and sprue, grind or face off, so to speak, predetermined portions of the castings so as to simplify subsequent machining operations which must be performed on the casting.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a machine of the type stated which is specifically adapted for cleaning up cast pipe fittings, such as elbows, Ts, and the like.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets),

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a cut-off machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially similar to Figure 2 except that the slide carrying the casting is shown in forwardly shifted position;

Figures l, 5, and 6 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines i i, 55, and 66, respectively, of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view substantially similar to Figure 6 except that the grinding wheel is shown at one end of its stroke after it has passed the casting being ground and the casting is being displaced from the slide fixture in which it is held during grinding operations; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a cut-off machine comprising a heavy rectangular machine bed or base plate I preferably provided on its under face with legs 2 by which the structure is supported at appropriate height above the floor. Rigidly mounted upon the upper face of the base plate I, adjacent the rearward edge thereof, is a hydraulic cylinder 3 having a forwardly projecting reciprocatory ram or push rod 5 rigidly connected to an upstanding ear 5 of an elongated slide 6 confined for forward and rearward reciprocating movement upon the upper face of the base plate l in way-forming slide channels 7, 8. At its forward end, the slide '6 is transversely cut away in the provision of a clearance slot 9 and is rigidly provided with an internal transversely extending wall or partition it, which is arcuately cut away along its upper margin in the provision of a semi-circular recess H. Forwardly of the partition Iii, the slide 3 is cut away along its upper margins in the provision of a pair of transversely aligned semi-circular recesses i2, i3, the recesses M, ii, and it being of appropriate size and relative position for snugly accommodating the three branches of a conventional pipe T f, with the straight branch of the T I held crosswise of the slide is and the single or medial branch of the T presented rearwardly across the partition iii, substantially as shown in Figures 3 and 6. It will also be noted that the transverse width of the slide 5 is substantially smaller than the width of the T 1, so that the T 1 will extend or overhang laterally on both sides and be completely in the clear for the grinding of its end faces, as will presently be more fully disclosed.

Welded or otherwise rigidly mounted upon, and extending vertically upwardly from, the base plate A, just forward of the forwardmost limit of movement of the slide ear ii, is a feed stack it consisting of four vertical bars l5, l8, ll, i8, and a vertical plate It arranged for supporting a plurality of vertically stacked raw Ts, substantially as shown in Figure 5. It will be noted that the bars [5, l8 are on one side of the slide 6 and the bars I6, I! are symmetrically located on the opposite side ofthe slide 6, so that the feed stack M, in effect, straddles the slide 6 and the lowermost raw T will rest upon an upwardly presented retainer plate 20 forming a part of the slide 6. The plate I9, furthermore, terminates at its lower margin just above the retainer plate 20. Thus, when the slide 6 is disposed in initial or rearward position, as shown in Figure 2, the lowermost T in the feed stack M will drop down into the T-retaining forward end or fixture portion of the slide 6. Thereupon, as the slide 6 is pushed forwardly by the ram 4, this particular T, which is held in the fixture portion of the slide 6, will be carried forward thereby and the retainer plate 20 will slide forwardly beneath the next T directly thereabove, holding the latter in position within the feed stack [4.

Bolted upon, and extending transversely across, the forwardly presented faces of the vertical feed stack bars l5, I5, is a hinge 2| having a lower horizontally extending leaf 22 which projects forwardly for a substantial distance, overlying the upper face of the T which is being carried forwardly by the fixture portion of the slide 6, thereby holding it firmly in place. At its forward end, the leaf 22 is rigidly provided with an upstanding guide post 23 loosely and slidably projecting through the bight portion 24 of an inverted U-shaped guide frame 25. At its upper or projecting end, the guide post 23 is threaded and provided with a positioning nut 26. Disposed concentrically around the guide post 23 and retained abuttingly between the under face of the guide frame bight 24 and the hinge leaf 22 is a compression spring 21 for resiliently biasing the hinge leaf 22 downwardly against the T f.

Mounted upon the upper face of the base plate I, in laterally disposed relation to the path of movement of the slide 6, is an electric motor 28 having an elongated shaft 29 which extends horizontally over and above the path of movement of the slide 6 approximately midway between the feed stack [4 and the guide frame 25 in upwardly spaced relation to the hinge leaf 22. The shaft 29 is rigidly provided with a pair of axially spaced face-grinding wheels 30, 3|, which are adjusted so that their inner or opposing faces are spaced accurately to the desired dimension to which the T f is to be ground. The motor 28 is connected through conventional electrical wiring and switch means (not shown) to a suitable source of electric power and is turned on when the machine is operating, so that the grinding wheels 30, 3| will be rotated at a relatively high rate of speed. Thus, when the T f is carried forwardly by movement of the slide 6, it will pass between the grinding wheels 30, 3| and the oppositely presented end faces of its straight branch will be ground or faced off accurately and precisely.

Also rigidly mounted upon the upper face of the base plate I, in rearwardly spaced parallel relation to the forward transverse margin thereof, is a second hydraulic cylinder 32 having a ram or push rod 33 fixed at its extremity in an upwardly extending ear 34 formed on a cross slide 35, which is preferably mounted between wayforming slide channels 36, 31, for reciprocating movement transversely across, and at right angles to, the path of movement of the slide 6. Rigidly mounted upon the upper face of the cross slide 35 is a second electric motor 38, also connected by conventional electrical wiring and switches to a source of electrical current (not shown). The

motor 38 is provided with a rearwardly extending shaft 39 provided on its outer end with a face grinding wheel 40 positioned so that its forwardly presented grinding face will travel across the rearwardly presented end face of the medial branch of the T 1 when the latter is held in position at the forward limit of movement of the slide 6, as best seen in Figure 3. The grinding wheel 40 is of such thickness that it will pass freely through the clearance slot 9 of the slide 6 upon transverse reciprocatory movement of the cross slide 35.

Also rigidly mounted on, and projecting rearwardly from, the cross slide 35 is a pair of spaced parallel arms 4|, 42, supporting, at their outer ends, a transversely extending slide shoe 43 provided at one end with an upwardly curved leading lip and in its opposite or trailing end (reference being had to Figure 7) with a depending kick-off lip 44. The arms 4|, 42 and slide shoe 43 are centered substantially symmetrically with respect to the grinding wheel 40 and ride over the T as the grinding wheel 40 is engaged therewith in a cutting stroke, thereby holding the T f securely in place while the grinding operation is being performed, as best seen in Figure 6. As the grinding wheel 40 passes beyond the T f. completing its cutting stroke, the depending kickoff lip 44 will ride down upon the overhanging end of the T f, imposing thereon a downwardly applied off-center pressure which will tip the T ,1 up and flip it out of the fixture portion of the slide 6, so that it will fall downwardly through a discharge opening 45 formed in the base plate I and into a suitable catch-bin or receptacle (not shown).

The hydraulic cylinder 3 is connected by air lines 46, 41, through control valves 48, 49, respectively, to a main air supply tank 50, which is, in turn, connected to an intake conduit 5| of a conventional source of air pressure (not shown). The valves 48, 49, are provided with externally presented spring-biased control plungers 52, 53, and are mounted on the upper face of the base plate I at opposite ends of the path of travel of the cross slide 35, which is, in turn, provided with suitably positioned depending cars 54, 55, for respectively contacting and actuating the control plungers 52, 53. Similarly mounted upon the upper face of the base plate I is a control valve 56 having an externally presented control plunger 51 and mounted at the forward extremity of the path of movement of the slide 6, which is, in turn, provided with a transverse end wall 58 for abutting against and actuating the control plunger 51. The control valve 55 is connected on one side by an air line 59 to the supply tank 50 and on its other side by an air line 50 to an intake nipple 6| of a timing cylinder 62 internally provided with a piston 63 having a concentric push rod 64 extending slidably through a gland collar 65 and thus projecting axially outwardly from the cylinder 62. The piston 63 is biased toward the intake nipple 6| by means of an internal compression spring 66. At its outer end, the push rod 54 is swivelly connected to the lower end of a toggle arm 65, which is, in turn, rigidly secured upon a horizontal rock shaft 68 rotatably mounted in and extending through the chamber 69 of a togglevalve body 10. Opening into the chamber 69 is an intake port I I, an exhaust port 12, and a discharge port 13. Rigidly mounted upon the shaft 68 for rocking movement therewith is a valve member 14 having closure arms l5, 16, for alternate closure-forming disposition across the intake port H and exhaust port 12, respectively. The

intake port ll in turn, connected by means of an air line 11 directly to the supply tank 58 and the discharge port 13 is connected by an air line I8 to the intake port 19 of an alternating valve 80 consisting of a cylinder 8| internally divided by a cross wall 82 into two separate chambers 83, 84. Slidably mounted in the chamber 83 is a valve piston 85 biased by means of a compression spring 88 against end stops 8'! and having a co-axial push rod 88 extending through the wall 82 into the chamber 84' and being therein provided with a piston-like valve plug 89- which is vented through an axial bore 90, so that the pressure within the chamber 84 will be the same on both sides of the valve plug 89. The portion of the chamber .83 between the piston 85 and the wall 82 is vented to atmosphere through an aperture 9|. Opening into the chamber 84 are discharge ports 92, 93, respectively connected by air lines 94, 95, to the opposite ends of the hydraulic cylinder 32. Also opening into the chamber 84 is an intake port 98 connected by an air line 91 to the supply tank 58. It will be noted that when the valve piston 85 is at rest against the stops 81, the discharge port 93 will be in open communication, through the chamber 84, with the intake port 98, and the discharge port 92 will be covered up or closed by the valve plug 89.

When the machine is set in operation and the feed stack [4 loaded, the slide 8 is withdrawn to its rearwardmost position and a T casting 1 will drop into the fixture portion thereof, asv shown in Figure 2. It will be noted, by reference to Figure 1, that when the slide 6 is in rearwardly disposed position the cross slide 35 is stationary in its initial position to the left of the path of movement of the slide 6. In this position, the depending ear 54 will abut against the control plunger 52 of the valve 48, so that air will be admitted through the air line 41 to the hydraulic cylinder 3, forcing the ram 4 forwardly and carrying the casting 1 between and past the grinding wheels 38, 3|. As the slide 6 reaches the forward extremity of its stroke, the end wall 58 impinges against the control plunger 51 of the valve 56 and the slide 6 comes to rest in this. forward position. since the hydraulic cylinder 3 remains under forward impelling air pressure. As the valve 56 is opened, air is admitted through the line 60 to the timing cylinder 62 .and the piston 63 is propelled forwardly, shifting the toggle arm 61 and rocking the shaft 68 and associated valve member 14, so that the arm 16 will move up into closure-forming relation across the exhaust port 12 and the arm 15 will move downwardly away from closure-forming relation with the intake port ll. Whereupon, air under pressure will pass through the chamber 69 and out of the discharge port 13., through the line I8, and into the cylinder 8|, forcing the valve piston 85 thereof downwardly, shifting the valve plug 89 downwardly, so that air under pressure will flow into the chamber 83, through the intake port 98, and outwardly through the discharge port 92 to the hydraulic cylinder 32, causing the cylinder 32 to shift the cross slide 35 to the right (reference being had to Figure 1) and thereby passing thev grinding wheel 40 across the rearwardly presented branch end of the casting ,1. As the cross slide 35 reaches the limit of its. travel, the car 55 will abut against. the control plunger 53, opening the valve 49, and admitting air through the line 41. to the forward side. of the hydraulic cylinder 13, shifting the ram l and its associate slide 6 rearwardly to initial position. As the 'slide 8 moves rearwardly, the wall 58 thereof disengages the plunger 51 of the valve 56, thereby shutting off air pressure to the timing cylinder 62 and venting it to atmosphere. Thereupon, the spring 66 returns the piston 63 to initial position and the push rod 64 swings the toggle arm 61 back to initial position, returning the valve member '14 to initial position, cutting ofi the air supply to the chamber 69, and, at the same time, venting it to atmosphere. Pressure is thus relieved within the chamber 83 and the piston '85 is returned to initial .po-

sition against the stops 8'! and the discharge port 93 is opened while, at the same time, the discharge port .92 is again closed. Air under pressure, therefore, passes from the intake port 96 through the chamber 84, the discharge port 93, and air line 95 to the other side of the hydraulic cylinder 32, causing the cross slide 35 to be returned to original position.

As th slide 6 returns to its original or rearwardmost position, the next T 1 drops downwardly from the feed stack l4 to replace the previous T ,f and the ear 54 again abuts against the control plunger 52, admitting air through the valve 48 and line 46 to the hydraulic cylinder 3 and thereby immediately repeating the entire cycle of operations above described. Thus successive Ts I will be ground one right after the other as long as any remain within the feed stack l4.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the cut-off machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the, same plane as the first track-defining means and extendin perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shifting movement toand-fro in a, straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-defining means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, first grinding means operatively mounted on the base adjacent the first track-defining means in lateral relation to the path of movement of the main slide, second grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a work-supporting fixture carried by the main slide and being adapted to hold the work in such a manner that the rough faces to be ground will pass by and engage against the first grinding means as the slide moves toward the path of the cross-slide, a first hydraulic ram operatively connected to the main slide for reciprocating the main slide, a second hydraulic ram operatively connected to the cross slide for reciprocating the cross slide, and a timing valve operatively connected to both of said rams for alternately admitting fluid under pressure to said hydraulic rams for causing the main slide and cross slide to reciprocate in timed relation to each other.

2. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the same plane as the first track-defining means and extending perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shifting movement toand-fro in a straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-defining means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, first grinding means operatively mounted on the base adjacent the first track-defining means in lateral relation to the path of movement of the main slide, second grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a work-supporting fixture carried by the main slide and being adapted to hold the work in such a manner that the rough faces to be ground will pass by and engage against the first grinding means as the slide moves toward the pathof the cross-slide, and means carried by the cross slide for removing the work from the work-supporting fixture as the cross slide moves across the path of the main slide.

3. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the same plane as the first track-defining means and extending perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shifting movement toand-fro in a straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-definin means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, a pair of facegrinding wheels disposed straddlewise on opposite sides of the path of movement of the main slide and in laterally outwardly spaced relation with respect thereto, grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a work-supporting fixture carried by the main slide, first means operatively connected to both of said slides for alternately reciprocating said slides in timed relation to each other.

4. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the same plane as the first track-defining means and extending perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shifting movement toand-fro in a straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-defining means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, first grinding means operatively mounted on the base adjacent the first rack-defining means in lateral relation to the path of movement of the main slide, second grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a work-supporting fixture carried by the main slide, and being adapted to hold the work in such a manner that the rough faces to be ground will pass by and engage against the first grinding means as the slide moves toward the path of the cross-slide, a first hydraulic ram operatively connected to the main slide for reciprocating the main slide, a second hydraulic ram operatively connected to the cross slide for reciprocating the cross slide, and a timing valve operatively connected to both of said rams for alternately admitting fluid under pressure to said hydraulic rams for causing the main slide and cross slide't'o reciprocate in timed relation to each other.

5. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the same plane as the first track-defining mean and extending perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shifting movement toand-fro in a straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-defining means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, first grinding means operatively mounted on the base adjacent the first track-defining means in lateral relation to the path of movement of the main slide, second grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a work-supportin fixture carried by the main slide and being adapted to hold the work in such a manner that the rough faces to be ground will pass by and engage against the first grinding means as the slide moves toward the path of the cross-slide, a first hydraulic ram operatively connected to the main slide for reciprocating the main slide, a second hydraulic ram operatively connected to the cross slide for reciprocating the cross slide, and a timing valve operatively connected to both of said rams for alternately admitting fluid under pressure to the second hydraulic ram for causing the main slide and cross slide to reciprocate in timed relation to each other.

6. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the same plane as the first track-defining means and extending perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shifting movement toand-fro in a straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-defining means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, first grinding means operatively mounted on the base adjacent the first track-defining means in lateral relation to the path of movement of the main slide second grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a work-supporting fixture carried by the main slide and being adapted to hold the work in such a manner that the rough faces to be ground will pass by and engage against the first grinding means as the slide moves toward the path of the cross-slide, a first hydraulic ram operatively connected to the main slide for reciprocating the main slide, a second hydraulic ram operatively connected to the cross slide for reciprocating the cross slide, a timing valve operatively connected to both of said rams for alternately admitting fiuid under pressure to the second hydraulic ram for causing the main slide and cross slide to reciprocate in timed relation to each other, and means actuated by the cross slide for admitting fluid under pressure to the first hydraulic ram.

'7. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the same plane as the first track-defining means and extending perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shiftingmovement toand-fro in a straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-defining means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, first grinding means operatively mounted on the base adjacent the first track-defining means in lateral relation to the path of movement of the main slide, second grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a work-supporting fixture carried by the main slide and being adapted to hold the work in such a manner that the rough faces to be ground will pass by and engage against the first grinding means as the slide moves toward the path of the cross-slide, a first hydraulic ram operatively connected to the main slide for reciprocating the main slide, a second hydraulic ram operatively connected to the cross slide for reciprocating the cross slide, a timing valve operatively connected to both of said rams for alternately admitting fluid under pressure to the second hydraulic ram for causing the main slide and cross slide to reciprocate in timed relation to each other, said timing valve having an actuating cylinder, and a valve operatively mounted adjacent one end of the stroke of the main slide and having a valveactuating member interposed in the path of the main slide for actuation thereby as the main slide reaches the end of its stroke whereby to admit fluid under pressure to the actuatin cylinder of the timing valve.

8. In a device for grinding burrs from rough faces of castings, a base having first and second track-defining means, said second track-defining means being located substantially in the same plane as the first track-defining means and extending perpendicularly across one end thereof, a main slide operatively mounted in the first track-defining means for shifting movement toand-fro in a straight line, a cross slide operatively mounted in the second track-defining means for shifting movement to-and-fro along a path perpendicular to and spaced outwardly from one end of the path of the main slide, first grinding 10 means operatively mounted on the base adjacent the first rack-defining means in lateral relation to the path of movement of the main slide, second grinding means mounted on the cross slide, a Work-supporting fixture carried by the main slide and being adapted to hold the work in such a manner that the rough faces to be ground will pass by and engage against the first grinding means as the slide moves toward the path of the cross-slide, a first hydraulic ram operatively connected to the main slide for reciprocating the main slide, a second hydraulic ram operatively connected to the cross slide for reciprocating the cross slide, a timing valve operatively connected to both of said rams for alternately admitting fluid under pressure to the second hydraulic ram for causing the main slide and cross slide to reciprocate in timed relation to each other, said timing valve having an actuating cylinder, a valve operatively mounted adjacent one end of the stroke of the main slide and having a valveactuating member interposed in the path of the main slide for actuation thereby as the main slide reaches the end of its stroke whereby to admit fluid under pressure to the actuating cylinder of the timing valve, and auxiliary valves having valve-actuating elements interposed in the path of movement of the cross slide for actuation thereby respectively as the cross slide reaches the opposite ends of its stroke, said auxiliary valves being connected to admit fluid under pressure to the first hydraulic ram.

ROBERT C. KENYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,453,175 Perrault Apr. 24, 1923 1,585,414 Pritchard May 18, 1926 2,194,757 Klaas et al Mar. 26, 1940 2,362,039 Baldenhofer Nov. 21, 1944; 

